All the runners declared for annual awards

The 2011 Meath Chronicle / Cusack Hotel Group sportsperson-of-the-year awards will take place at Knightsbrook Hotel, Trim on Thursday 19th January. This is the fifth annual awards ceremony and apart from the main monthly awards, which will be presented to the recipients at the start of the evening, there will the by now traditional extra categories that have proved very popular since they were introduced. Keeping everything moving on the night, for the first time, will be popular RTÉ Sport Presenter Evanne Ní Chuilinn who will interview the various winners and some unsuspecting guests on the night. The extra categories include the annual youth award, won last year by Trim swimmer Eleanor Murray, and outstanding individual and team awards which Barry Geraghty and Kildalkey GAA club captured. Meath Chronicle readers had an opportunity to nominate candidates in various categories last week and the results of those votes are listed on this page. The competition in each category will be intense and the adjudicating panel will comprise personnel from the Meath Chronicle and Cusack Hotels. The innovative awards were introduced in 2007 following a proposal from the late John Cusack that was aimed at honouring the top sportsmen and women in Meath. Since then, the Cusack family have championed the awards adding the extra categories to cater for the array of sports-related success that merits recognition annually Aintree Grand National-winning trainer Gordon Elliott was the inaugural recipient for his feat with Silver Birch in 2007. The late Darren Sutherland was the 2008 winner following his success at the Seoul Olympics while Bohermeen jockey Johnny Murtagh took the 2009 accolade and Kells golfer Damien McGrane took the honours for 2010. The competition this year will be equally as intense as in previous years with the runners in the main race now finalised following the selection of boxer Chris Blaney as the December monthly winner. Eight sports are represented amongst the monthly winners. Each monthly winner will receive a trophy produced by top local woodturner Seamus Cassidy. There will also be a special presentation to the Hall of Fame recipient who will be announced on the night. Previous recipients in this popular category included Sean Boylan, Tommy Carberry and Dessie McGann. There will be a minimum of three nominees for each of the other categories, they will be selected from the nominations received by the Meath Chronicle over the past week. The nominees will all receive a memento with the outright winner going home with a specially commissioned Cassidy piece. There are 13 contenders for the overall award following the selection of joint-winners for April, Nina Carberry and Jason Maguire. JANUARY Cian O'Connor - The international showjumper made a brilliant start to 2011 producing a string of consistent displays which included a second place finish in the four-star Grand Prix at Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates with the Irish-bred gelding Larkhill Cruiser which he purchased from John Floody who was a monthly winner the previous year for his achievements with Larkhill Cruiser. O'Connor maintained the momentum throughout the year. FEBRUARY Tim McNulty - The Summerhill rally driver got his bid for hopnours off to a great start with an impressive victory in the Galway International Rally in his Subaru Impreza. The Meath man maintained his good form on tarmac throughout the year and went on to compelte a double of national and international titles, but it all started with that success in Galway. MARCH Andrew Lynch - For the second successive year the Ashbourne jockey took the March award for his performances on the racecourse. This time he guided Sizing Europe to victory in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham and then followed that with a victory on Sizing Australia in the Cross Crountry Chase at the same festival. The rigours of national hunt racing were evident soon after when the Meath jockey spent some time on the sidelines due to injury. APRIL Nina Carberry - This year has turned out to be memorable for many reasons for the Ratoath woman and her Fairyhouse victory in the Irish Grand National was hugely popular at her home track. She became only the second female jockey to win the big race, Ann Ferris was the first back in 1984, and she emulated the achievements of her brothers Paul and Philip who also won the showpeice race. Jason Maguire - The Kilmessan native won the Aintree Grand National with the Donald McCain-trained Ballabriggs in what was a memorable race. The Meath man displayed all his skill and judgement to time his run to perfection to land the big rpize. There was a Meath one-two in the big English race. Summerhill native Martin Lynch trained the runner-up Oscar Time. MAY Shane Horgan - The Bellewstown man not only assisted Leinster to victory in the Heineken Cup final in Cardiff he helped his team engineer a remarkable comeback against Northamption. Trailing 6-22 at the break Horgan & Co produced some stunning second-half display of attacking rugby. JUNE Cian Ward - On a July evening at at packed Breffin Park Meath forward Cian Ward produced a scintillating display firing a fabulous four goals past Louth in an All-Ireland SFC qualifier as a rampant Royal County comfortably overcame the challenge of the Wee County. JULY Gary Rogers - The Bohermeen man was selected after some impressive performances for St Pat's in the opening two rounds of the Europa League. He played a vital role in victories over Icelandic team IBV (2-1) and Shaktyor Karagandy of Kazahkstan (2-0), but the Inchicore side exited at the third hurdle when they were beaten by Kaparty Lviv. AUGUST Koroush Foroughi - The Star of the Sea athlete went to Shenzen, China and conjured up a fine performance to finish ninth in the high jump event at the World University Games. Foroughi did well to finish in the top 10 in the world in a highly competitive event. The Star of the Sea athlete was also a monthly winner at the inaugural awards. SEPTEMBER Ger Lyons - This turned out to be a memorable month for the Kiltale-based trainer who achieved his first winner in a Group One race as a trainer when Lightening Pearl won the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket. Lightening Pearl was guided past the post by Bohermeen jockey Johnny Murtagh to complete a memorable Meath success. OCTOBER Pat O'Halloran - Tipperary man Pat O'Halloran achieved a first in Meath sport when he led Kildalkey to a third successive SHC crown with a win over Navan O'Mahonys. He also guided the club to a A HL Div 1 title and he was a selector with Ballivor as they won the Meath JFC. NOVEMBER Sara Treacy - Moynalvey athlete Sara Treacy travelled to Sligo for the National Cross-Country Championships and produced an outstanding display to win the women's senior title conquering the mud and the opposition to cross the winning line 17 seconds ahead of her nearest rival. DECEMBER Chris Blaney - The Navan Boxing Club member won his 10th national title when he defeated Bernard Roe (Dublin Docklands) in the 75kg category at the National Intermediate Championships. Blaney won the final bout with a convincing 18-9 score. There are a limited number of tickets availbale for purchase for this black tie event, €50 each. See details on this page.